Curtis Bean Dall

Curtis Bean Dall (24 October 1896 - 28 June 1991) was a stockbroker, banker, investor, vice-Presidential candidate, first husband of Anna E. Roosevelt, and author most remembered today for his work F.D.R.: My Exploited Father-in-Law which claims a hidden One-World "internationalist" agenda for many of the policies put through under Roosevelt's presidency.

This article writen and copyright 2008 by Will Johnson, Professional Biographer and Genealogist. This article has been locked, if you'd like to comment on it, you may email me at wjhonson@aol.com

Early Life

Curtis Bean Dall was born 24 Oct 1896 in ManhattanA, New York City, New York, the son of Charles Austin DallD (b. 1863) and his wife Mary Bean (b. 1870). His father Charles was from the Dall's of Baltimore, but his mother had the interesting distinction to have been born in Prescott, Arizona where her father had gone as a mining engineer. Charles Dall and Mary Bean however were married in 1894 in New York City. In 1900, the family lived in Montclair, Essex County, New Jersey, but by 1910 they lived on a farm in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey.B His uncle Cornelius "Neely" Agnew of the Farmer's Loan and Trust Company (see Farmers) having been a member of Princeton's Class of 1891, influenced him to go there as well. (F.D.R., p. 15) He attended Princeton UniversityA, and later served in the Navy [Naval Aviation Corps - ed.] during World War I, in England and in France. (F.D.R., p. 12) The New York Times reports in 1920 that "During the war he was a naval aviator of the Royal Flying Corps, and later with the American Expeditionary Forces in France."

He was stationed as an ensign at Guipavas, and was present as one of the many spectators in Dec 1918, when then-president Woodrow Wilson arrived in Brest for the Peace Conference. (F.D.R., p. 13-14) He returned to the U.S. by Jun 1919 although just "recently".L On 28 Aug 1920, an engagement was announced in the New York Times between "...Miss Virginia Van Ingen [daughter of] Mr. and Mrs. McLane Van Ingen of Fifth Avenue and Sea Bright, NJ... [and] Curtis B Dall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Austen Dall of this city."J However a few months later The New York Times is reporting, on 3 Mar 1921, "Van Ingen-Dall Troth Broken" : "...by mutual consent." In May 1921, she appears once more, referred to as "...Mrs McLane Van Ingen, Miss Virginia Van Ingen...."K In 1926 Curtis was working for the banking firm Lehman Brothers, organizing a department "...which involved the wholesaling of new stock and bond issues...." (F.D.R., p. 13)

Marriage

Curtis met his future first wife Anna "Sis" Roosevelt, nine years his junior, in Dec. 1925 at a dinner party, given by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Douglas in their home on Fifth Avenue, New York for their two daughters Elizabeth and "Kay". Anna was the eldest child and only daughter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt, who would several years later become the 32nd U.S. president and the first lady. At the time however, F.D.R. after having been a New York state senator, Assistant Secretary of the Navy and a U.S. vice-presidential contender (in 1920), was Vice-President of the Fidelity and Deposit Company of Baltimore.

"Anne was eighteen, unhappy at Cornell, where she never wanted to be, and still more unhappy at home, with all its tensions and undercurrents, particularly between her mother and grandmother. She wanted 'to get out,' and became engaged to Curtis Dall, a rather conventional and balding financier associated with Lehman Brothers. Then thirty, he seemed appealing to Anna above all for his apparent stability; but Eleanor was not sure. 'I don't think she even thinks she's serious but he is and I'm not sure she didn't let herself get a bit further than she meant to be!' " (Cook, p. 330)
At Cornell University, Anna was taking a brief course in agriculture, and after "...their three-month engagement" (F.D.R., p. 11) they were married, each for the first time, in Hyde Park, Dutchess County, New York, on 25 June 1926. Kay Douglas was the maid-of-honor. One slight discrepancy here is that their engagement was announced on 23 Jan 1926.D It's probable that they went somewhere in Europe for their honeymoon, as they are returning to New York a month later on the S.S. Celtic, sailing from Liverpool.

The Curtis Dall's and the James Roosevelts

Sarah Roosevelt, Anna's grandmother, gave the newly-married couple an "...expensive cooperative apartment" about 1927. (Cook, p 330-1) Perhaps this is the East 65th St address they state in a 1929 ship list. Some time later they took up residence also in North Tarrytown, Westchester County, New York. It's quite possible they were splitting time, commuting between the two locations. "...I acquired some land on the northwestern bank of Lake Pocantico, and built a house overlooking the lake....Across the lake was the very large estate of John D. Rockefeller and his son John D., Jr."(F.D.R., p. 26) This was evidently the estate called "Panache" on Sleepy Hollow Road which is mentioned much later in a piece in the New York Times, dated 31 Jan 1934. It's not yet clear exactly when Curtis built it, but it certainly existed by at least 1934.

In 1924, F.D.R. had "...made a dramatic appearance at the Democratic convention to nominate Alfred E. Smith, governor of New York for president"E. Smith urged Roosevelt to run for governor of New York in 1928. Roosevelt telegraphed his daughter and son-in-law Dall:"Some people here want me to run for Governor of New York this fall. What do you think about it? Please wire. Love, FDR". To which the reply was: "Received your most interesting wire. Think it is a great idea. Believe you will win. Will do everything possible to help you and the cause."(F.D.R. p. 31)

The story is repeated in The Lethbridge Herald with the additional information that Mr and Mrs Dall upon receiving the telegram, and before sending their reply from Tarrytown, consulted with their neighbor the banker Paul Warburg.G

The Crash

"In 1927, '28, and '29 there were many new offerings of bond and stock issues and I was very busy."(F.D.R., p. 27) "In the Spring of 1929, and acting with the blessings of my good friends in Lehman Brothers, I joined the investment firm of O'Brien, Potter and Stafford of Buffalo, New York, as a partner in charge of their New York office. (F.D.R., p. 47) Dall was on the floor in Oct 1929 on Black Tuesday, the day of the 1929 Stock Market crash. On pages 48-51 he relates a very bizarre reaction of Eleanor Roosevelt's to her son James' losing money in a margin account during the crash. She ordered Curtis to restore the money, to make James whole. Apparently Eleanor had very little understanding of the financial markets or just what the Crash meant. As hundreds of millions in worth were simply swept away in the Crash, she thought Curtis could just give back the money James had lost. Curtis did give it back, out of his own pocket and generosity, and to his detriment.

In reference to the Great Depression of the 1930s he states (in his 1967 book): "Actually it was the calculated ‘shearing’ of the public by the World Money-Powers, triggered by the planned sudden shortage of the supply of call money in the New York money market." (F.D.R., p. 49) "The Democratic politicians who were looking for a 'target' in Washington pointed their finger at President Herbert Hoover. The crash was his fault! He was the goat; certainly not the One-World Bankers with their curtailment of credit and their short-selling, performed by well rewarded 'fronts.'" (F.D.R., p. 54)

In addition to his claim of shorting call money, he makes a claim that certain nameless, world-money powers had operators in the market short-selling just before the Crash. He names one of those operators as Joe Kennedy. (F.D.R., p 119)

Seated, left to right: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt holding their granddaughter Anna Dall; Mrs Curtis Dall with her son Curtis Dall Jr; Sarah Roosevelt his mother. Standing, left to right : Franklin Roosevelt Jr, James Roosevelt, John Roosevelt, and Curtis Dall.

Married Life

In 1930, several months after the crash, the firm that Curtis has been working for, O'Brien, Potter, Stafford decided to merge with the New York firm Goodbody and Company. Curtis represented Goodbody on the floor of the exchange from 1930 to early 1933. About this time, Dall wanted to buy into a certain brokerage and needed $100,000 to do so, so he and Anna put a mortgage on their house. This was probably Goodbody and Company, but the article does not state that explictly. Curtis although elected Governor of the Associates of Stock Exchange Firm in 1932, was reported at the end of 1932, to be resigning his position on the New York stock exchange, but a few months later he joined the Cotton Exchange, and then the Chicago Board of Trade dealing in stocks and grain.

In 1932, when the Democratic Convention met in Chicago, Curtis Dall decided to go there. He claims that he boldly went up to the room where the Pendergast delegation was pow-wowwing about how to get their Missouri man elected President, and told Mr. Pendergast that if he were smart, he'd get on the Roosevelt bandwagon, because Roosevelt had it all sewed up! "That's how Missouri came in early for Roosevelt!" (F.D.R., pg 61-62) Dall takes a few pages to discuss a chance meeting with Huey Long and comments on how he feels Long's assassination was planned because he came to be regarded as a "real threat and political danger to some pundits in the Washington Democratic Administration" (F.D.R., pg 64) Curtis then takes a few pages to relate how he met Professor Felix Frankfurter then of Harvard Law School, in Dec 1932 at a dinner at the home of Sarah Roosevelt. He and Frankfurter did not get on well, and he concludes this section by stating that Bernard Baruch and Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965) shortly afterward became "the two most powerful political operators in this country....They were without doubt the 'Gold Dust Twins'". (F.D.R., pg 66-70) Frankfurter in 1938 was appointed to the Supreme Court.

Curtis then relates how he met Bernard Baruch in New York early in Jan 1933 when Bernard came to see F.D.R. on an informal visit. Curtis states at that time that he is still on the stock exchange floor with Goodbody and Company. At that time Bernard told him that he was in control of "5/16th of the world's visible supply of silver....Mr Baruch gradually became the best known symbol of vast world money power." (F.D.R., pg 71-5)

Curtis Bean Dall

Anna had worked sporadically at the beginning of the marriage, mostly in promoting her father's run for governor of New York, and later for U.S. President, but falling behind in mortgage payments, Anna did some more serious work to try to meet them. An article in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune dated 25 Feb 1933 states that Anna was, just then, the associate editor of "Babies — Just Babies". This was a magazine of "advice for mothers" for which her mother Eleanor was editor. (Cook, p. 472) The New York Times on 15 May 1933 reports that : "Mrs Curtis Dall...has signed a contract with Liberty Weekly and will become a member of the staff and a regular contributor...." Curtis and Anna were apparently at this time, splitting their time between their Tarrytown estate and "...the Roosevelt town house on East Sixty-fifth street, New York"H Anna casting about for some further employment, took up her mother's mantle and decided to do some radio talks, for which she was paid perhaps as much as $3,000 each.I
Curtis and Anna had "two tow-headed children": Anna Eleanor "Sistie" Dall on 25 March 1927, and Curtis Roosevelt "Buzzie" Dall on 19 April 1930.F Newspaper articles at this time show that Anna, "Sistie" and "Buzzie" were frequent visitors at the White House where a playground had been installed on the south lawn for them. Since Anna and her children were apparently staying days at a time in the White House with her parents, some tongues were wagging about the Dall's drifting apart.

Divorce

It was not generally known at the time, but in the Spring of 1933 Curtis, Anna, FDR and FDR's lawyer Harry Hooker had come to an arrangement for Curtis and Anna to seperate, but Curtis would enjoy the right to have Sisty and Buz stay with him on certain holidays and during the Summer. (F.D.R., p 127) Part of their time was spent on "Wilmot Island" on Plum Lake in northern Wisconsin owned by the parents of his close friend Willis Wilmot.

Finally, on 31 Jan 1934, the New York Times reports "Dalls in Seperate Homes". Curtis' address was given in North Tarrytown, while Anna's was variously given as the New York City address or the White House. Blanche Wiesen Cook relates that during a trip with the members of the family, one of the reporters who came along was the Chicago Tribune's John Boettiger, with whom Anna had fallen in love. Anna went in June to establish residence in Nevada so she could get a quick divorce there where her brother Elliott had divorced his first wife shortly before. Because of all the publicity that was stirred up around this, a rather long article appeared about Anna in the Syracuse Herald, 19 Jul 1934, page 15, discussing points of her biography with emphasis on her personality and upbringing.

Anna (Roosevelt) Dall

The divorce on the grounds of "mental cruelty" was not contested. "Mrs. Dall was divorced from her first husband, Curtis B. Dall, July 30, at Minden, Nev." (Syracuse Herald, Jan 18, 1935, p 11) Anna was awarded custody of the children, but the financial details and custodial arrangements were kept private. Just after the divorce, the children spent two weeks with their father.

Anna's Life

Six months after her divorce, on January 18, 1935, Anna married former journalist John Boettiger, now assistant to Will Hays head of the Motion Picture Producers Association. John had also just divorced his wife. John's "...former wife and two children reside in Glencoe, a suburb of Chicago." (see Syracuse Herald, 18 Jan 1935, page 11) John and Anna had a small private ceremony with a few members of the family. There were no bitter feelings as the Oelwein Daily Register on 18 Jan 1935 reports, "Dall Congratulates His Ex-Wife". N

"Sistie" and "Buzzie" visit their father Curtis Dall, during a vacation April 1935 at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

Initially John, Anna and the two children lived in New York. A rather long article about Anna occupied half of page 4 in the 30 Jun 1936 issue of the Waterloo Daily Courier. John and Anna moved to Seattle in the latter-half of 1936 "...where he became manager of a Hearst-owned newspaper."M Her two children joined them, just after Christmas. The newspaper was identified in a May 1937 article in the Nevada State Journal as the Seattle Post Intelligencer, for which John was the publisher and Anna the "women's editor". By John, Anna had her third child John Roosevelt Boettiger on 29 Mar 1939. In a 1944 article, Curtis Jr is called "Curtis R Boettiger", but in 1949 here he appears again as "Curtis Dall". Finally Leonard Lyons (NY Post Syndicate) reporting in The Times of San Mateo 3 Jan 1950 : "F.D.R.'s grandson 'Buzzy' whose name first was Curtis Dall Jr., and then was changed to Boettiger, will be known henceforth as Curtis Roosevelt." When Sistie married in 1948, her father Curtis Dall was not at the wedding and many articles falsely reported that the children took the name of their step-father when Anna remarried. In fact they are called "Dall" in many newspaper articles, at least until Sistie was 12 to 13 years old.

John took a leave of absence from his position in Seattle to become an Army captain, and left the editorial direction of the paper in his wife's hands. But her policies did not square with those of the interim publisher named by Hearst. So at this time Anna came to the White House once more, handling some of the correspondence and hostess functions. John meanwhile was transferred from Italy to the "Civil Affairs Division at the Pentagon Building". (see Chester Times, 15 Feb 1945, page 6) In 1945 John and Anna moved to Phoenix, Arizona to launch the Arizona Times, Boettinger relinquished his interest in it, and Anna sold it in 1948 to a group of buisnessmen. (see Tucson Daily Citizen, 6 Jul 1949, page 6) John and Anna seperated in 1947, then divorced Jul 1949 and he later committed suicide on 31 October 1950 in New York City, by jumping from his seventh-floor hotel suite. Anna married thirdly on 11 November 1952 at Malibu, California, as his second wife, to James Addison Halsted.

1933 to 1938

"After the restless summer of 1933, I joined the large firm of Fenner, Beane and Ungerleider....Alph Beane was my second cousin." (F.D.R., p 114) This statement startled me so much I spent some time researching this Beane family. Apparently Curtis is a second cousin due to both him and Alpheus Beane descending from Josiah Bean (1793-1841) and his wife Olive Sanborn (1789-1867). This connection still needs a bit more firming up.

"I would quit the [Stock Exchange] Floor occasionally to go on long trips about the country visiting the various offices of Fenner, Beane & Ungerleider, with Alph Beane from New York, and Charlie Fenner from New Orleans. Our firm then had over fifty offices. We would leave New York City, stop at Washington, and then head south, visiting many places....Cousin Alph and Charlie were find traveling companions. The later was especially understanding about the constant emotional strain I was under, in trying to be loyal to FDR and his group, and yet aware and critical of much of his experimental political policies, at the time." (F.D.R., p 121)

Curtis appears frequently in newspapers around this time — several being brief mentions mostly in relation to an article on Anna or the Roosevelt family, or mentioning some occasional trip or visit he made with his children, especially after the divorce came through.

In Jul 1934 he is being called "Curtis Dall of Chicago", and Time Magazine on 21 Jan 1935 reports that the seat held by him was being transferred to Alpheus Beane. But by 1936 he is again "Curtis Dall of New York". Several times it's mentioned that he is visiting Governor Herring of Iowa. There is the barest mention that Curtis is suing Time Magazine for libel in 1935 or '36 but with no details, but then in 1937 we get the details. The Frederick News-Post, 6 May 1937, page 5, "Turns Down Verdict Against Curtis Dall"O

Second Marriage

Curtis married secondly in 1938 to Katharine Miller LeasP (1917-2000), they had four surviving children: Katharine, Mary, Stephen and James (b. 1948). From this point, I see no more mentions of Curtis spending time with his first two children, and by 1944 his son is being called "Curtis R Boettiger". Additionally, when "Sistie" got married in 1948, Curtis was not in attendence. (see San Antonio Light, 8 Jul 1948, page 24) It would appear likely because of this that there was some kind of strain in, or even severing of the relationship. This would have apparently happened sometime between 1939 and 1944. Possibly Curtis' second marriage was the trigger. When Curtis Jr got married, some newspapers reported that Curtis Sr has been invited but was unable to attend.

Curtis Dall and Katherine Leas Dec 1938

1940 to 1948

Curtis' obituary reports that in the 1930's Curtis Dall "...helped to organize what later became the Tennessee Gas and Transmission Company of Houston, one of the largest corporations in the country. But he sold his interest before the company's real growth began."A While a more contemporary report, mentions that he left this company about 1943.Q However in F.D.R. he states that the company "...was organized by me in Nashville, Tennessee on 1 Apr 1940. (F.D.R, p 123) The company was designed to bring natural gas from Texas to Tennessee and the general Appalachian area. He relates several incidents, some political, surrounding this effort and it's final buy-out or bail-out by a Chicago syndicate of bankers.

In 1939 they are living on Park Avenue, New York City and probably still are in 1940 when an article titled "Gotham Gazette" mentions Curtis in passing. He served as a Col in the "Army Air Force" from 1942 until Feb 1946 (F.D.R., p 183), just after the close of World War II, and mentions a few times working in the Pentagon building during this time. So, I believe from 1943 to 1945 they probably lived in or near Washington, DC so Curtis could work in the Pentagon building for the Army Air Force. In 1946 they moved to San Antonio, Texas where "Col and Mrs Curtis Dall" appear several times at society events. The first mention I can find of a speech is here in the San Antonio Express 20 Mar 1947 (page 11) where his topic to the Fenwick Club was "Leadership". In the 1940's, he became active in politics, campaigning "...for Strom Thurmond, who was the Presidential nominee of the conservative States' Rights Party".AR

Their youngest child James Humphrey Dall was born in July 1948 in Bexar County, Texas, but the three older siblings were not born in Texas.

Political Drift

In F.D.R. (p. 184-6) he explains that it was when he left the Pentagon and went to live in Texas in 1946 then he started becoming more conservative. Previously believing that many of F.D.R.'s policies were his own or those of the Democratic group to benefit this country, he later came to believe that F.D.R. and others were acting under orders of a secret "internationalist", large-money group whose aim was to control the world.

"States Righters in San Antonio Tuesday had wedged their small and rebellious force into the Dixiecrat anti-Truman program.

"Heading the local Thurmond-Wright adherents is a former son-in-law of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Curtis Dall. He was nominated permanent chairman by Clyde Wantland, Alamo Heights publisher, at an organization meeting Monday afternoon at the St. Anthony hotel.

"The meeting was attended by about 50 persons who listened intently while Truman Democrats were labeled 'loyalists' and chaos was predicted for the future unless states rights won over civil rights.

"Main speaker was Roy Sanderford, Belton, a former state senator. He was introduced by John T. Spann, who organized the meeting.

"Spann sounded the keynote with a blast at the 'loyalists' who killed little pigs and sold the country to certain un-American elements.

"In condemning the civil rights program, Spann referred to it as the 'Bill of Rights' but his slip of the tongue was not noticed by his enthusiastic listeners. He said: 'The Bill of Rights and the FEPC are the most pernicious bills in history.'

"Randle Taylor nominated Tom King temporary chairman of the meeting.

"Dall, in accepting the unanimous vote as permanent chairman, said there was too much federal control and the 'influences back of it were un-American.' He said he wanted to leave just one thought with the crowd and that thought was: 'Who writes Mr. Truman's speeches?'

"Dall did not answer his question. Truman, he said was in the grip of 'certain sinister forces.'

"Sanderford said un-Americanism had infiltrated the Truman administration, adding: 'The civil rights bill was cooked up by a bunch of northern industrialists, northern labor racketeers, and northern New Deal pinko professors and Truman, in his stupidity, could see only politics.'

"He predicted chaos would result from attempts to 'effect social equality.'

"Sanderford defined loyalists as 'yellow dog Democrats' leading the nation to destruction. They were both 'stupid of mind and evil of heart.' Said he: 'Socialism, totalitarianism and a police state is the result of the Truman program.'

"Wantland moved adoption of the states rights program and support of the Thurmond-Wright ticket and it was voted without opposition.

"At the conclusion of the meeting a white-haired little lady moved to the front of the room and placed a $5 bill on the table. She said 'I'm in this to stay.' "

"Curtis Dall, director of the States' Rights party in the San Antonio area, returned Monday from Memphis, Tenn., where party leaders met Sunday to map out long-range plans. He said a wide area was represented by about 100. A resolution outlining this plan was adopted.

"The resolution declared that the States' Rights party came into being to save 'constitutional government and liberty in America' and expressed the determination to continue this fight until this is attained.

"Dall said that when Truman is defeated in the November election and Henry Wallace makes his bid to capture the remnents of the Democratic party, the States' Righters will be out there to meet him and defeat his endeavor.

"Dall said that Gov. J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, the party's candidate for President, will make a patriotic address Saturday at the Alamo, following the breakfast at the Menger Hotel."

Political Life

In 1950 or 1951, Curtis and his wife Katherine moved from San Antonio, Texas to Chestnut Hill, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 13 Dec 1959 the Big Spring Daily Herald reports "Curtis Dall Named D&E Board Member" : "Curtis B. Dall, Philadelphia has been named to the board of directors of the Big Spring Exploration Company."

Dall became involved with the "...racist Right's ill-fated efforts at forming a third party..."S. In 1960 the Texas-based Constitution Party put-up retired Marine Corps Brigadier General Merritt B. Curtis for president. (see Logansport Pharos-Tribune, 25 Apr 1960, page 7, "Constitution Party Picks Its Candidates") Dall the then-editor of Task Force magazine in Washington, had his name put in for vice-presidential nominee, but lost to B.M. Miller. Dall testified in Washington in May 1963, in front of the Senate Finance Committee, and against President Kennedy's trade policies. Syndicated columnist Drew Pearson, in an editorial, 1 Jun 1963 (see Ogden Standard-Examiner) reports that "...Dall charged that Kennedy's trade policies were dreamed up by his 'political bosses and mentors' whom he identified ominously as 'the political Zionist planners for absolute rule, via one world government....[They] have gained the power to influence while remaining themselves in the shade..."

On 21 Jul 1964, the Advocate of Victoria, Texas reported that the "Constitution Party Seeks New Standard Bearer". It "threw open its presidential nomination to anyone who is willing to promote the principles of constitutional government." This happened because George Wallace withdrew his name as their favored candidate. Of three persons mentioned as possible candidates, were "Curtis Dall of Philadelphia, national chairman... P.A. Del Valle retired Marine Corps lieutenant general... and W Frank Horne publisher".

In 1966/7 he wrote the book for which he is most cited today, F.D.R. My Exploited Father-In-Law, in which he speaks of his ex-father-in-law, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Franklin's relationship with, as Curtis saw them, the corrupt power of the banking elite of the time. On the back cover of this 1967 edition it states :"An ardent conservative Mr. Dall is a member of the Christian Crusade National Advisory Board; is a member of the Executive Board of 'We The People'; and works actively for conservatism in national politics."

In 1968, his name was filed for the Presidential primaries in New Hampshire. In 1971, he was Chairman of the Liberty LobbyT He retired as chairman in 1982. It was possibly in connection with this group that he was said to introduce, in 1974, speaker Benjamin H Freedman, who was also one of the people named in the Acknowledgements section of Curtis' book F.D.R: My Exploited Father-in-Law.

Political Ideology

As stated at least in "F.D.R" in 1967

"Years passed, during which it became obvious to me that Eleanor Roosevelt's political ideology had steadily moved to the Left. In contrast, mine was leaning to the conservative side, moving to the Right. The deceptive overtones of Pearl Harbor, the pro-Soviet peace terms at the close of World War II, the refusal of General Eisenhower to let General Patton conclude a proper military objective and take Berlin. Eisenhower's cruel unheard of forced-repatriation program; the Berlin Corridor Arrangement, Harry Hopkins' sending abroad to the Soviets our U.S. money plates, paper and ink, for them to rob and fleece us, the tragic matter of Governor Earle (not to stop World War II sooner, to be dealt with later) — all these things did not seem proper and were most disturbing to me!" (F.D.R., p. 57)

"The N.A.A.C.P. has always had access to important financing and has 'Advanced,' to become a valuable jewel in the crown of the Socialist-Communist Revolutionary Forces. Fortunately, most of our responsible colored citizens have a deep distrust for the self-serving leadership evidenced in the N.A.A.C.P." (F.D.R., p. 58)

"Basically, the U.N. is but a long-range, international-banking apparatus neatly set up for financial and economic profit by a small group of powerful One-World Revolutionaries, hungry for profit and power. Obviously, the real objectives of One-World Government leaders and their ever-close bankers, are most devious! They have now acquired full control of the money and credit machinery of the United States of America, via the creation and establishment of the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank. They now plan to uproot and to gradually destroy the Spiritual background of all peoples. Initially, Christianity is the prime target, then Judaism, then all other religions! That bleak program is absolutely necessary for them to complete, if possible, before they can reach godless power — aimed to benefit a few but to make assembly-line puppets out of us, the many." (F.D.R., p. 59)

"The freedom of the press, something for which our forbears fought and shed blood to establish, is largely a myth! Whose freedom? Whose press? Well, it is time for improvement, for an overhauling and review of our whole apparatus of communications in this country" (F.D.R., p. 132)

The League of Nations idea was unfolded at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. "World Bankers were its leading advocates and sponsors." It failed because too many people became aware of its secret dangers. Not to be thwarted, the same money interests, dug in and carefully planned the springing 25 years later upon the unsuspecting American people of the "United Nations". To ensure it's success this time, they created the "Council on Foreign Relations" to carefully train and mold minds to accept this. The British version is called the "Royal Institute of International Affairs". At the top of these is the Bilderbergers headed by Prince Berhard of the Netherlands. The One Worlders want to control money, politics and eventually religion. (F.D.R, p 170-171)

"Many people say it is 'impossible' to start a 'Third Party,' because of the cost and the difficulty in getting an organization set-up to manage it. In some respects that is true. However a 'Third Party,' in reality, is a Second Party because of the joint ownership, or working control, of both Democratic and Republican parties centered in New York by the One-World Money, One-World Power Group." (F.D.R, p 188)

Death

It is interesting to note Curtis' view on the U.N. in light of this interview where Curtis Jr states that he himself worked in the U.N. for 18 years. The interview is not externally dated, but internally is by stating that Curtis is "...now 71 years old." therefore it was done in 2001/2002. This article from 2005 has a picture of Curtis Dall Jr but calling him by his adopted name Curtis Roosevelt.

Curtis Dall died at the Hospice of Northern Virginia in Arlington, Virginia on 28 Jun 1991, aged 95. His obituary states that he lived in Alexandria,A but the Social Security Death Index states that he had last been a resident of Beaufort, Beaufort County, South CarolinaC which is where one of his daughters, Katherine lived. He left to survive him, his second wife Katharine; Eleanor Seagraves of Washington and Curtis Roosevelt Dall of Majorca, Spain, both from his first marriage; and from his second marriage, Katharine Bolton of Beaufort, S.C., Mary Dunham of Newport, R.I., Stephen of Devon, Pa., and James of Portland, Ore. in addition to 10 grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Curtis B Dall is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. His tombstone records his service as "Col US Army World War II starting 1 Jul 1942". He is buried in Section 3-K Row 8 Site 1. His last wife Katherine Leas Dall is buried there beside him, with her tombstone recording her dates as "born 5 Jun 1917, died 12 Nov 2000".

Other People

"In 1912, the Democratic Party Headquarters in New York City was located on lower Fifth Avenue. A good friend of mine, then a young man, spent considerable time at the headquarters working as a sort of messenger boy. He was the son of a well-known New York family of Judaic background." (F.D.R., p 137) Dall then goes on to describe a meeting between Woodrow Wilson, Bernard Baruch and others that can only give the impression that the messenger boy he is here describing must be Benjamin H Freedman.

Dall mentions a book he'd just read called When the Cheering Stopped, by Gene Smith (1964). He then relates the Peck letters story. It's not completely clear if he is here quoting from the book or relaying his own version of the story. Here is what he states.

Woodrow Wilson wrote many letters of a "personal nature" to Mrs Mary Allen Peck. Mrs Peck's son got into some financial difficulties and needed $30,000. Mrs Peck retained Samuel Untermeyer as her lawyer to help her obtain that money. Mr Untermeyer called upon President Wilson explaining that his client needed $250,000 and for that sum she would return to Wilson certain letters she had, otherwise she would dispose of them to others. Wilson did not have that kind of money. Mr Untermeyer proposed a solution. If Wilson would consider appointing Mr Louis Brandeis to the Supreme Court, then Mr Untermeyer would settle the matter of the letters. (F.D.R., p 140-141)

The New York Times Biographical Service. A compilation of current biographical information of general interest. Volume 22, Numbers 1- 12. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1991. Use the annual Index to locate biographies. (NewYTBS 22)

Footnotes 2

D — The Post Standard (Syracuse, New York) 24 Jan 1926 : "Daughter of F.D. Roosevelt To Wed Banker" : "New York, Jan 23 (AP) — Franklin D. Roosevelt, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Mrs. Roosevelt, tonight announced the engagement of their daughter, Anna Eleanor, to Curtis Bean Dall of this city. The wedding is planned to take place at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park, N.Y., on June 5. Miss Roosevelt is now completing the short course in agriculture at Cornell University. She made her debut in society last winter. Mr. Dall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Austin Dall, was a member of the 1920 class at Princeton University and is now with a banking firm in this city."

J — The New York Times, 28 Aug 1920, page 6, "Miss Van Ingen to Wed Curtis B. Dall : Junior League Member's Fiance Was a Naval Aviator of Royal Flying Corps" "Mr. and Mrs. McLane Van Ingen of 1081 [?] Fifth Avenue and Sea Bright, N.J., announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Virginia Van Ingen, to Curtis B. Dall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Austen Dall of this city. Miss Van Ingen was introduced to society last Winter, and is a member of the Junior League and the Colony Club. Mr. Dall is a graduate of Princeton University. During the war he was a naval aviator of the Royal Flying Corps, and later with the American Expeditionary Forces in France."

L — Charleston Daily Mail, 27 Jun 1919 : "...The members of the party were joined today by Mr. Curtis Dall, a Princeton University man who recently returned from overseas after a year's service with the aviation corps overseas."

Footnotes 4

M — The amazing Roosevelt family: 1613-1942, pg 302 : "Completely happy with her second husband, whom Sistie and Buzzie adore, she helps him with his newspaper, writes and edits its woman's page, and takes part in the social activities of the Northwestern outpost. Mrs. Roosevelt frequently visits her; she flew there to be present when Anna's third child, John Roosevelt Boettiger, was born on 29 Mar 1939."

N — Oelwein Daily Register, 18 Jan 1935, page 8, "Dall Congratulates His Ex-Wife" : "Chicago Jan 19 — (UP) — Curtis B Dall, divorced husband of Mrs. Anne Roosevelt Dall who was married today to John Boetiger, sent a telegram to the couple extending 'my every good wish.' The wire addressed to 59 East 65th Street, New York said: 'Received your telegram here in Chicago and am sending you both my every good wish." Dall is chairman of the exceu [?] conference of state liquor administrators. He said he knew Boettiger and regarded him as 'a very good chap.' Asked if he had any intentions of remarrying, he asked jokingly: 'What would you suggest?' A moment later he denied any matrimonial intentions. Ball is chairman of the executive committee of the Distillers and Brewers Corporation of America."

O — Frederick News-Post, 6 May 1937, page 5, "Turns Down Verdict Against Curtis Dall : Judge Says Plaintiff Clearly Established Deliberate Libel By Time Magazine", "New York, May 5 — A Supreme Court jury returned a verdict for Time magazine in the $250,000 libel suit brought by Curtis B Dall, former son-in-law of President Roosevelt, but Justice Bernard L Shientag set the verdict aside on motion of Dall's counsel. 'The verdict of the jury is against the overwhelming weight of the evidence,' Justice Shientag said. 'The plaintiff clearly established a deliberate libel. To allow the verdict to stand would be a travesty on justice, and I have no hesitancy in setting it aside.' Dall based his suit on an article published in the 23 Apr 1934 issue of Time. The article, described by the defense at the trial as 'an imaginative illustration,' told of the imagined 'suicide' of Dall in the White House in the presence of his former wife and Mrs. Roosevelt"

Footnotes 5

P — San Mateo Times, 3 Sep 1938, page 2, "Curtis Dall to Wed Philadelphia Girl" "Haverford, PA. Sept 3 (UP) — Curtis B Dall, former son-in-law of President Roosevelt, will marry Katherine Miller Leas, daughter of a prominent and wealthy Philadelphia family, it was announced today. Miss Leas' parents, Mr and Mrs Donald Stewart Leas, announced her engagement today. No date had been set for the wedding. Dall, a Wall Street man, was the husband of the President's daughter, Anna. After the divorce, she married John Boettiger, Seattle publisher."

— Moberly Monitor-Index, 26 Nov 1938, page 4, "Curtis Dall to Wed" "Media, Pa., Nov 26 (AP) — Curtis B Dall, former husband of President Roosevelt's daughter, obtained a license today to wed Miss Katherine Miller Leas of Haverford, Pa. The bridegroom-elect, a New York broker, gave his age as 42 and his fiancee's as 21. Their engagement was announced in September."

Q — El Paso Herald-Post, 17 Jan 1945, page 7 "Gas Line Jumps From Louisiana to Texas in Whodunit Mystery" "...Also during this period [1943], Curtis Dall, famed as the father of 'Sistie' and 'Buzzie' and the former son-in-law of President Roosevelt, resigned his connection with Tennessee [Gas & Transportation Company] and its affiliate saying in part: 'We have never wavered from our objective of bringing a new supply of gas to this (Appalachian) area, even though we have had to overcome bitter and subtle opposition of powerful oppponents.' He may have been referring to the Hope Natural Gas which had lost an application to build a line from West Virginia to Hugoton, Kans., the day after Tennessee's entry into Texas from West Virginia was granted by FPC. He may have been talking of owners of coal mines and union leaders who thought the line should not be laid. As 'powerful opponents,' he also may have been referring to many of the people of Texas, for most of them now oppose taking Texas gas to Eastern factories instead of keeping our gas here and making the factories move down here to get to it." [story continues at some length -ed.]

Other Primary documents

New York Times, 28 Dec 1923, pg 15, "Day of Festivities For Debutantes", "Miss Douglas Greeted" "The largest affair of the day was the dinner dance Mrs Walter Douglas gave at her residence, 18 West Fifty-Third Street, for her debutante daughter, Miss Elizabeth Douglas. Mrs Douglas gave a dinner for ninety guests for her daughter, and among the other dinner hostesses were Mrs Henry de Forest, Mrs Elon Huntington Hooker, Mrs Edwin O Hooker and Mrs Cornelius R Agnew....Among the dinner guests were [lists about 30 females]...Also [lists about 30 males, including]...Cornelius R Agnew Jr...Curtis Dall...."

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, on the S.S. Celtic, sailing from Liverpool, 17 Jul 1926, arriving New York 27 Sep 1926 : "Curtis Bean Dall, age 29, born 24 Oct 1896 New York City, resident of 39 East 79th Street, New York; Anna Roosevelt Dall, age 20, born 3 May 1906 New York City, resident of 39 East 79th Street, New York"

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, on the S.S. Homeric, sailing from Cherbourg, 11 Apr 1929, arriving New York 21 Apr 1929 : "Curtis Dall, age 32, born 24 Oct 1896 New York City, resident 49 E 65th St, New York City; Anna Dall, age 22, born 3 May 1905 New York City, resident 49 E 65th St, New York City"

Olean Evening Herald, 24 Sep 1930 : "O'Brian, Potter in Alliance with New York Company" "...Curtis B Dall, New York Stock Exchange member, will become a general partner and represent Goodbody and Company on the floor of the Exchange."

Syracuse Herald, 5 Nov 1930, "Budget Takes Roosevelt's Time Again" "Governor Turns to Work After 'Slight Interruption' by Campaign" : "...About him were members of his family — his mother, Mrs. James Delano Roosevelt; his daughter Mrs. Curtis Dall and her husband...."

The Mansfield News (Mansfield, Ohio), 27 Dec 1932, "Curtis Dall Plans to Resign Position: Son-in-law of Roosevelt to Quit Exchange Firm" : "New York, Dec 27 (AP) — Curtis B. Dall, son-in-law of President-elect Roosevelt, plans to retire as a partner in the New York stock exchange firm of Goodbody and company, Jan. 1, it has been learned in Wall street. Mr Dall would not comment on his proposed withdrawal and declined to say anything concerning his future plans or whether he would continue as a member of the stock exchange. He acquired his seat in February, 1930, shortly after his retirement from the former stock exchange firm of O'Brien, Potter and Stafford. The latter, a Buffalo investment house, retired from the stock exchange and closed its New York office in 1930."

Charleston Daily Mail, 14 Feb 1933, "Cotton speculators get a psychological boost out of the fact that Curtis Dall — Roosevelt's son-in-law — has joined the cotton exchange. They figure he must know something."

Nevada State Journal, 29 Mar 1933, "Curtis Dall Member of Chicago Board" "Chicago, March 28 (UP) — Curtis B Dall, President Roosevelt's son-in-law, became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade today. The new trader was welcomed by Peter B Carey, president of the mart."

San Antonio Express, 15 Feb 1934, pg 20, "New Cars Impress Visitor in San Antonio" "Business conditions in Texas are showing a more marked improvement than probably any other section of the country, according to John Baker Miller who is associated with Curtis Dall, son-in-law of President Roosevelt, in the firm of Fenner and Beane. Miller is registered at the Plaza Hotel for an indefinite stay. 'The stock and investment business is a criterion of general business conditions,' Miller stated. 'During the first 45 days of this year our company showed an increase of 65 per cent in volume of business done in Texas over the last four months of 1923. Mr. Dall and I made a trip through Texas and into Mexico about a month ago and it was because of his favorable impression of this section that I was sent here to make a survey of business conditions. San Antonio impresses me most favorably because of the large number of new automobiles one sees on the streets and because of the optimistic attitude of the local people and those in surrounding towns have.' "

Mason City Globe-Gazette (Mason City, Iowa), 15 Jun 1934, pg 1, "President's Daughter Establishes Reno Residence", "Mrs. Anna Dall Believed to be Asking Divorce :Has Not Lived with Her Husband for More Than Year", "Reno, Nev., June 15 (AP) — Mrs. Anna Curtis Dall, daughter of President Roosevelt, is establishing residence here and it was assumed divorce proceedings were in prospect. Mrs. Dall has leased a home at Lake Tahoe. The daughter of the president has been seperated from her husband for more than a year. With her two children, "Sistie" and "Buzzie," she lived at the white house during the past year. Mrs. Dall was not available here today, but it was understood she was enroute to this city. Mr. and Mrs. Dall were married in June, 1926. Mrs. Dall left Washington yesterday with her children. Shortly after the Roosevelts entered the white house, Elliott Roosevelt, a son, left for the west coast, established residence at Las Vegas and obtained a divorce from Elizabeth Donner Roosevelt of Philadelphia. A few days later, in Burlington, Iowa, he was married to Miss Ruth Googins of Fort Worth, Texas."

Time Magazine, "Personnel" 21 Jan 1935 : "The Stock Exchange last week approved the transfer of the seat held by Curtis B. Dall, divorced husband of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Dall, to Alpheus C. Beane of Fenner & Beane, who is reported to be the No. 1 candidate for next governor of the Stock Exchange."

Waterloo Daily Courier, 21 Jul 1935, page 3, "Curtis Dall Borrowed on Home to Buy Into Firm; Mortgage is Foreclosed" : "Behind the foreclosure suit brought against Mrs Anna Roosevelt Boettiger, daughter of the president, is a hitherto untold story. Anna Roosevelt's first husband, Curtis Dall, desired to become a member of a New York brokerage firm, and to this end was required to put up a certain amount of money. In order to raise the funds, a mortgage was placed on the property occupied by the then Mr. and Mrs. Dall near Ossining, NY. The mortgage was for $65,000. The bank insisted that Mrs. Dall be jointly responsible with her husband. Subsequently Dall was not able to make payments on the note. Altho few outside the Roosevelt family know it, this was the reason for Anna Roosevelt's efforts to raise money by radio broadcasting and magazine writing. For a time she helped materially to keep up payments on the note. Finally the payments ceased. This was about the time she went to Reno to divorce Dall. A total of $7,000 had been paid off. The Westchester Title and Trust company, which held the mortgage, now has filed a foreclosure suit in the New York supreme court."

Syracuse Herald, Jul 6, 1936. Picture of Curtis B Dall with his two children

The Port Arthur News (Port Arthur, Texas), 24 Apr 1939, page 10, "Firm Organized : Curtis Dall and Associates Form Corporation", "Dallas, April 24 (UP) — Curtis Dall, former son-in-law of President Roosevelt, was in Dallas today to take part in organization of a large capital corporation. A meeting of the board of directors, which is said to include several prominent southwestern oil men, was scheduled for this afternoon. Dall announced that he would make a statement concerning the corporation late today."

Olean Times Herald, 15 Oct 1940, page 16 "Curtis Dall F.D.R.'s ex-son-in-law, has been readmitted to the Princeton Club and exonerated of charges that he attended a dinner given for Gerhard Weatrich the Nazi representative here."

San Antonio Light, 18 Nov 1946, page 13, "Blast Shakes Home of Col. Curtis Dall" "San Antonio firemen counted more than $11,000 in damages resulting from seven fires and one explosion over the weekend. Greatest single damage occurred at a home at 818 Grayson Street, recently purchased by Col. Curtis Dall, former husband of Anna Roosevelt, daughter of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and the late President Roosevelt. An explosion there Sunday knocked out windows and sections of walls of the vacant residence and caused about $5000 damages to the $38,000 home. Firemen said the explosion occurred at 11:40 a.m. Sunday while a workman for a fumigating firm was using a cleansing spray. The workman was not hurt. Exact cause of the explosion was unknown. Firemen said Dall had planned to move into the house Monday."

Florence Morning News, 21 Sep 1948, page 1, "Speaks in Maryland", "Baltimore, Sept 20 (UP) — Free State supporters of Gov. J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina for President will have two opportunities to hear him in Maryland, state headquarters of the States' Rights Democrats announced today. Thurmond will be accompanied by Col. Curtis Dall of Texas, a former son-in-law of President Roosevelt."

European Stars and Stripes, 16 Jan 1955, page 3, "U.S. Bills Curtis Dall for $6,600 in '46 Taxes" : "Washington, Jan 15 (AP) — The U.S. tax court has ruled that Curtis B. Dall, onetime son-in-law of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, must pay an additional $6,664 in income tax for the year 1946. The court said that the income involved was fully reported, but that Dall and the Internal Revenue Service differed on how it should be classed and taxed."